CHAPTER 1490: CHAPTER 1497: CONFRONTATION (5)

At this moment, Yang Yong reported that all the ministers outside were present, waiting outside the Royal Study Room for an audience.

Nangong Yi said, "Summon them in, and convey my order: release everyone from Duke Li Guo’s Mansion, command them to bathe and then come to see me immediately."

Yang Yong accepted the order and departed. Shortly after, the ministers entered in the order of court protocol, forming a queue. Upon seeing Nangong Yi, each of them first tried to discern whether the person on the throne was real or an imposter.

After entering the hall, there was silence for a while, until Marquis of Jian’an, Wu Shiji, was the first to kneel and shout, "Your subjects greet The Emperor, long live the Emperor for thousands of years..."

Seeing someone leading the way, the rest of the officials hesitated slightly, then all knelt down and saluted Nangong Yi.

"All ministers rise!"

Nangong Yi raised his hand, signaling everyone to stand up, while he himself sat back with a stern face on the Dragon Chair, and authoritatively said, "I have summoned you, my loyal ministers, here today for two reasons: first to inform you all of my whereabouts over the past period, and second to root out the traitorous usurpers lurking near me."

"In recent times, you have all been deceived and bewitched by the calamitous traitor Li Kaifeng, under the mistaken belief that Duke Li Guo harbored me, attempting to seize the Divine artifact. However, the truth is, I had a substitute stabilize the Imperial Court and personally traveled to Liaodan to capture the abolished prince, Nangong Shi."

"The abolished prince, Nangong Shi, committed heinous treason; he murdered the Retired Emperor first, then after fleeing, colluded with the Liaodan People, intending to usurp Great Jin’s country, becoming a subsidiary lapdog of Liaodan, such a traitor to the state, I absolutely cannot tolerate him, hence I risked the journey to apprehend him, but alas, I nearly fell prey to the scheme of some treacherous villains, almost causing a great disaster."

As he said this, his gaze sharpened, sweeping over the faces of the ministers with varying expressions, and coldly stated, "Of course, Saknu of Liaodan would not bother with Nangong Shi alone, but it’s another matter if he could implant spies and informants within the court."

The ministers, upon hearing this, all showed a look of surprise, and those with guilty consciences cast their eyes down, their expressions extremely unnatural.

Nangong Yi took note of everyone’s expressions with a cold smile and said, "Setting aside others for now, let’s talk about our own Great General, he is the first traitorous conspirator that colluded with Nangong Shi!"

"Injustice... The Emperor, my loyalty is unwavering... I am wrongly accused..."

Li Kaifeng’s regret was so intense he wished he could die on the spot but he could not - he had to endure, to clear his name of the accusation of treason, for once the crime of treason was confirmed, it wasn’t just himself, but his entire family, his entire clan, would be executed.

"Wrongly accused?"

Nangong Yi laughed coldly, "Your men saw me and attempted to shoot to kill without question, as if afraid they could not kill me; the Retired Emperor and you have been monarch and subject for decades, how could you not recognize him, why denounce him as a substitute, a fake? The Empress Dowager is my birth mother, had I not arrived in time, she would have already been subjected to torture under your command, all these acts are ample evidence of your disloyalty, and still you hope to deny it?"

"The Emperor, the shooting... was done by my men... acting on their own without my knowledge, I... did not know. Surely, they saw someone previously impersonating you and mistook you for another fake... um... the Retired Emperor’s appearance did change a bit, so... in the heat of the moment, my eyesight was poor too... As for the Empress Dowager..."

Before finishing, Li Kaifeng’s pain was so great that he could not speak, clutching his groin area, his face twisted with pain.

One of his generals knelt and reported, "The Emperor, Empress Dowager Mo is a daughter of the Mo Family, Old Master Mo is suspected of conspiracy, thus it is natural that the Empress Dowager could not be exempted. Her dethronement and torture were all for the state of the country, in order to find you!"